West Mercia Police told to improve staff sexual misconduct probes

Inspectors have said West Mercia Police needs to improve how it collects intelligence after reports of sexual misconduct.

A report published on Thursday outlined an investigation into an officer over allegations of rape while off duty.

It said the force missed opportunities to examine his behaviour with vulnerable women when on duty, which it described as "surprising".

The force said it had invested in its vetting and professional standards.

The finding came during a visit by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) in September 2021.

It recommended better links between West Mercia Police's counter-corruption unit and organisations that support vulnerable people.

In the same inspection, HMICFRS also recommended the force more effectively uses IT monitoring software to improve how it protects information and data.

The report examined vetting as well, saying it was making it harder to address diversity in the force.

It said West Mercia Police did not sufficiently analyse rejections for applicants with a particular protected characteristic.

"This means the force has no way of understanding the reasons for any disproportionality, so it isn't taking any action to address it," it said.

"As a result, we have identified this as an area for improvement."

Protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act include age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.

West Mercia Police's Deputy Chief Constable Alex Murray said he was confident the force's vetting process was "robust and comprehensive".

"We've recently invested in our vetting and professional standards team to ensure we have the resources needed to achieve this," he said.

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